Their evil acts are offense enough... but they commit crimes against their on people, and that I will not tolerate.
„
~ Katana
“
I am merely considering the difference between brandishing a weapon... and being one.
„
~ Katana.
“
I am not leaving until the Daggers are destroyed. My husband seeks audience with them all.
„
~ Prime Earth Katana.
Katana (real name Tatsu Yamashiro, 山城 タツ, Yamashiro Tatsu) is a fictional character and superheroine in the DC comics and its universe.
She was once a Japanese woman who lost her family from her brother-in-law, Takeo Yamashiro, and decided to use her martial arts and abilities to fight against justice. She later became an ally of Batman, and member of the Birds of Prey, the Outsiders, and the Suicide Squad.
She was created by Mike W. Barr and Jim Aparo, and first appeared in The Brave and the Bold # 200 in July of 1983.
Katana is a sword-wielding Japanese super-hero with magical weaponry. Her blade is the Soultaker Sword, a relic that steals the essence of those it slays and stores them inside. It was taken in a duel with the man who killed her family, Takeo Yamashiro. Batman eventually recruited her to become a member of his black-ops team the Outsiders during a mission in Markovia. She has also been a member of the Birds of Prey, the Suicide Squad, and a founding member of the Outsiders.
Biography[]
Early Life[]
Tatsu was born at an unknown time in Japan, and became proficient in martial arts and fighting. Two brothers named Maseo and Takeo Yamashiro proclaimed their love for her, and Tatsu chose Maseo despite liking them both. This angered Takeo, who refused to attend their wedding, and became a member of the Yakuza. After the deaths of her parents, Tatsu and Maseo started a family by having twin daughters, Yuki and Reiko. Takeo decided to kill his brother, and used the matched swords, but Tatsu took one of them when he slayed Maseo. During the fight, Takeo accidentally started a fire, which killed Tatsu's daughters.
Tatsu mourned the loss of her family, and decided to begin training as a samurai under master Tadashi, and kept Takeo's sword which would later be called "Soultaker". She graduated from Tadashi's tutorship, and left for the United States where she intended to use her skills to fight against crime. Tatsu decided to take the code name "Katana" after the sword she wielded, and worked on fighting for justice.
Heroic Career[]
Katana journeyed to Markovia, where she tracked down General Karnz, who gave Takeo the two swords, and killed him. After the fight, Katana encountered a girl named Halo, and the two worked together to rescue Batman. Katana and Halo rescued him, and the group worked together to defeat Baron Bedlam, who had captured the vigilante. Katana and Halo later became founding members of the Outsiders, alongside Black Lightning, Geo-Force and Metamorpho. Team managed to stop Baron in Markovia, and moved to Gotham City to set up their headquarters in the underground base of the Wayne Foundation building. Katana became Halo's guardian and the two moved into the penthouse of the same place, and Katana was later kidnapped by the villain Cryonic Man. She was rescued by the team, and Cryonic Man was stopped before he could remove all of her organs.
During this time, Takeo was still at large and followed Tatsu to Gotham City, and secretly switched swords with her. Takeo took the sword to Oyabun, and performed a specific ritual that allowed them to recall the souls that inhabited the sword. Katana realized the sword was taken and fought them, reclaiming the Soultaker and killed Takeo, finally putting an end to some of her ghosts. When the Outsiders split from Batman's leadership, and took residence in Markovia where they became agents of the country. The team later moved to Los Angeles where they made their headquarters in the Markovian embassy, and Katanna later faced a resurrected Oyabun. She was captured by a tengu that was sent by the Oyabun, and was rescued by Halo and Looker.
Personality[]
To be Added...
Appearance[]
To be Added...
Portrayals[]
Films[]
In Suicide Squad, she was portrayed by Karen Fukuhara, who also plays The Female in Amazon's The Boys, and also voiced Glimmer in She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, and Kipo Oak in Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts.
In DC Super Hero Girls: Hero of the Year, she was voiced by Stephanie Sheh.
Television[]
In Batman: The Brave and the Bold, she was voiced by Vyvan Pham, and later by Kim Mai Guest.
In Beware the Batman, she was voiced by Sumalee Montano.
Montano reprised her voice for the character in Lego DC Super-Villains.
In Arrow, she was portrayed by Rila Fukushima.
In DC Super Hero Girls she was voiced by Rina Hoshino.
Video Games[]
In Infinite Crisis, she was voiced by Kelly Hu, who also voiced Stacy Hirano in Phineas and Ferb, Karai in 2012's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Adira in Rapunzel's Tangled Adventures.
Comics Teams Justice League |
Justice League of America |
Justice League Dark |
Justice League Europe |
Justice League Incarnate |
Justice League International |
Justice League Task Force |
Justice League Queer |
Super Buddies
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